Sharing Our Stories: Oh How I Love Jesus, Because He first Loved me.

Many years ago, I sat in the pew of the church shaking a little as I listened to my summer camp group leader talk about what it meant to love Jesus. What it meant to become a ‘christian.’ I read through the little booklet in my hand and wondered what there was to question as I understood the bullet points it had.

• I Believed that I had done bad things in my life
• I Believed that God was perfect
• I Believed Jesus had died on the cross for me to restore relationship with God as I had done these bad things
• I wanted my life to change, to live my life for Jesus instead of me

I told my leader I wanted to pray the prayer that followed as I understood and wanted to make the commitment. I tried to make it not a big deal, but I sensed there was something big happening. She prayed with me and together we signed a date. 

I was only six years old at the time.

I was so fortunate to have grown up in a Christian home. I had two parents who introduced me to Jesus, took me to church and youth group. They were pretty strict about the upbringing of me and my sister and showed us we were loved. I never doubted the existence of God as a child, He was real to me. Looking back, I believe that I really did understand all those bullet points in the little booklet at six years old. But I still did not understand that last one. I signed that booklet and yet continued on as though everything was the same.

It wasn't until I was thirteen and realising how much I had tried to live life in junior high for my friends and for the acceptance of those around me, that I truly started to understand the concept of living for Jesus. 

That daily choice of choosing to do something to show His love to someone, instead of doing something because it makes me look good.

So one night during worship at youth group in a new city, with new people all around me, in a new place...this realisation came to me and I signed a commitment to rededicate my life to Christ. 

To Live for Him this time instead of me. 

At first it was effort to worry less about what people thought, to walk down the halls of my school and realize that as long as I was following Jesus, I probably would not be popular here. 

And over time that became ok. 

The Lord gave me an incredible sense of His love and peace. He brought friends into my life who shared my love for Him, friends who encouraged me and challenged me to grow in my walk with Him. Not many of these in my school setting.

Finally after a relationship with a guy that I desperately wanted to happen didn't work out towards the end of high school, I began to truly fall in love with Jesus. I began to no longer see him as just a good friend or a father figure to rely and depend on. I began to see Him as my first love. I made a commitment in college to read through the entire Bible, and His word came alive to me during those days as I read about his faithfulness in the Old Testament and his love through the sacrifice of His son in the New Testament. Graciously I even read through the book of Numbers and came away in awe of God and His character. If you've ever read Numbers, you’ll see how that must have been a God thing. 

The more I read about Him, the more I understood who He was. He became an incredible constant in my life, a foundation for my understanding of love. Even though once again I was surrounded by people who didn't know Him and didn't love Him, the Lord provided several people to encourage me, to challenge me....often these sweet friends were in a different geographical location to me. 

To this day, I am thankful for that challenging situation where a relationship with a guy I truly wanted, didn't work out. (At least not in my timing)

Because God had bigger plans, plans to show me how much He loved me first. Living life for Him is hard, but we don’t have to do it alone.

So friends, if I could encourage you in any way today. I would want you to know that no matter what situation you find yourself in, there is a person waiting to comfort you. He knows you and loves you so much! (see what he thinks of you)

Run into His arms and begin to fall in love. You won’t ever regret that decision.

Much Love,

L

(This post was first shared on a sweet friend's blog)

Pearls & Tunes Vol 8.

{Via}

If I try and be honest with you, I will tell you that I hit a big low with blogging last night. 

I felt ready to forget the whole thing, to close my blog and never look back, for many reasons.

Feelings of inadequacy mainly, of not being an inspiration to others because I'm not an awesome mommy, open about marriage, great at DIY, sharing home decor tips that rock everyone's world. 

I'm never going to be that blogger who starts trends in the fashion world or has thousands of followers. 

Or even one that feels as though she fits in a lot of the time. 

Most of the time, I don't. 

I appreciate feminine mystique, of keeping things to myself at times. I'm not one to be a completely open book because I seek to encourage and uplift others. And honestly hearing people complain is never helpful to me, so I try never to do that on here.

And true enough to the quote by Theodore Roosevelt, comparing myself with others, which is what I have been doing.....has robbed me of joy.

Joy in my identity.

Joy in Christ.

Joy about the plans He has for my specific life.

Not anyone else's. 

And it hit me yesterday just how careful I need to be.

Because if I continue with a habit of comparison, I will breed something else.

Jealousy.

{via}

How easy it is to see someone else's life or even blog and think it is so much better than your own.

How easy a little bit of comparison in number of followers or fashion can lead to jealousy. 

And jealousy, is plain ugly.

Appearances are also so misleading, as I saw so clearly from the Influence Conference.

That girl that looks amazing in her sock bun, skinny jeans and chambray shirt....is probably just as insecure as you. She doesn't feel she has it all together, even though it may seem that way to you.

A lot of times we are each going through things that we don't share with others,

things that would reveal just how imperfect each of our lives are, no matter what they look like online. 

So while typing out a post that I will probably never publish about my feelings last night. 

The words to an old familiar hymn came to mind.

'Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace.'

{Words & Music: Hel­en H. Lem­mel, 1922} 

And I realised that I had lost sight of what was important.
I had taken my eyes off of my king, to look at what He had given to me and compared it to what He had given to others.

 Song Lyrics: Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, Old Hymn

And I hope it won't happen again.

But I'm thankful to have been thrown into the open waiting arms of my Savior. 

And reassured that even if I never am like anyone else.

That is ok.

Embrace being different. 

{Via}

Trust the one that has perfect plans for you!

Much Love,

L

Long Sleeved Ruffle Top: Old Navy

Layered Cami: Old Navy

Hairband: Old Navy

Skinny Jeans: Aeropostale

Boots: Old Navy

Owl Necklace: Claires

Earrings: Kassie Rew